091716 Grave Humour
GT: ~There'ʃ another troll in Lorrea'ʃ qviet place. Of covrʃe there iʃ; given the trend of thingʃ ʃo far, it waʃ a long ʃhot to think that ʃhe'd be allowed a moment'ʃ peace. Thiʃ troll iʃn't one ʃhe'ʃ met before, thovgh, now ʃhe'ʃ getting a cloʃer look at him. He'ʃ a ʃeadweller - the finʃ tell her that mvch - bvt apart from that he doeʃn't look a thing like ʃerioʃ. He'ʃ older than any of her grovp, aʃ GT: well; ʃhe can't tell by how mvch exactly, bvt it'ʃ at leaʃt a ʃweep or two. He'ʃ alʃo cvrrently ʃitting in midair in front of one of the many viewportʃ ʃcattered arovnd the Archiveʃ. He doeʃn't ʃeem to have noticed Lorrea yet, bvt it'ʃ probably only a matter of time.~ AT: Lorrea peers warily at the seadweller. She shakes her head, slightly, before settling more-or-less against a wall... which is still at least partially visible, even through her. She pulls her knees up, towards her chest, and her cape around to above her knees, and sets her face in it. GT: Ryspor blinks, noticing that he's not alone (one of the blessings and/or curses of being a Space player; getting that unpleasant hunch that someone else is here and *always being right*). He turns, alighting back on the floor proper - and pauses as he takes in the sight of the troll sitting there. He's silent for a moment, thinking of what to say. Then he smiles gently and waves at her. "Hello. Lorrea, wasn't it? It's good to see you again." He chuckles. "Though I do wish it were under better circumstances, as, undoubtedly, do you." GT: "Tell me, are you from this timeline, or from one that slightly diverges from ours? You seem the same as the Lorrea I briefly encountered, but..." AT: Lorrea doesn't even look up. "I realllly have no fucking idea what the differrrence woullld be. And hi." GT: "You'd be surprised." Ryspor shrugs. "Differences which paradox space considers negligible can be...somewhat less so in the opinion of those affected. A change in gender, for instance." AT: "Wellll as farrr as I know everrrything was the same. I don't think LLibby woullld have calllled up some OTHERRR LLorrrrrea to rub in the fact that she died beforrre she coulllld even see the motherrr grrub. It woulllld sorrrrt of defeat the purrrpose." Lorrea's tone is rather acrid. GT: "..." Ryspor is silent for another moment, then walks over to sit next to Lorrea. "I don't believe she meant it in that way, if it's any comfort," he says. "When you've lived as long as Libby has, the concept of death tends to lose some of its meaning. I doubt it even crossed her mind that you might be offended by your resurrection; she simply saw it as doing what needed to be done." AT: "That's allll anyone has been doing." GT: "Yourself included, I hope?" AT: "No. If I onllly did what needed to be done, I woulllld have cut ties with Aaisha afterrr she parrrtnerrrred up with Jack without even lllooking at me, and then I woullldn't have fucking died forrr herrrr. Therrrre's MORRRRE than that." AT: "I did what was right." GT: "I didn't mean that you should only do what's necessary," Ryspor says, shoulders slumping apologetically. "I'm not trying to invalidate your decisions." AT: "You're the onllly fucking one then." GT: Another long, slightly awkward silence. Then: "...I'm sorry that things have turned out this way for you," Ryspor murmurs, gazing out the window again. "It's not going to be easy, adjusting to this sort of an existence. I'm not sure if I've fully acclimated myself, to be honest." He smiles wryly. "Your story ended...so why are you still here? Is there truly even a reason to be found?" AT: "My storrry isn't overrrr untilll theirrrs is. I might be dead, but I'm not gone." AT: "And as Nyarrrllla has so kindfulllly demonstrrrated, it can be worrrrked arrround." AT: "And I'd FUCKING wagerrr that I'm morrrre wanted arrrround than that abusive piece of shit everrrr was." GT: He nods. "Most definitely. I was with Eribus right after he received the news of your death. He was utterly devastated. It took some effort to convince him to keep moving forward despite the loss." AT: "I don't think he realllized that it was even possiblllle." AT: "That I coullld actualllly DIE." AT: "Gave Vigillll a fucking run forrr his money, though." GT: "Did you?" His eyebrows raise. "Well done. Standing up to someone of his power and experience is nothing to sneeze at." GT: "I've fought with Vigil in the past." He grimaces. "It...could have gone better." AT: "... I fucking killlled Scarrrlllet in singllle combat. That's a lllittllle morrre imprrressive." GT: "GOODNESS." Ryspor is genuinely floored. AT: "Therrre's a REASON he was pissed." GT: "Yes, that would...certainly do it." AT: "I TOLLLD everrryone that I was going to keep them busy, and I fucking meant it." AT: "To be honest, the whollle dying thing was sorrrrt of... to be expected." AT: "Everrrrything has a prrrice. I'd just hoped that I'd have a lllittllle bit morrre nonexistance, forrr a whilllle." GT: "...do the others know you've returned yet?" AT: "Kyllle and Serrrios know. The otherrrs don't." AT: "I'm not anxious to tellll them, yet." AT: "I don't want to get theirrr hopes up." GT: "Then I think no one could blame you if you put it off for a time." GT: "I could bring you to one of the Lands, if you wish. There'd be less chance of an accidental meeting there." AT: "I have been ASSIGNED to Kyllle as his ASSISTANT forrr carrring forrr the motherrrr grrrub. I'm a lllittllle stuck." AT: "Because LLibby, somehow, thinks she has the right to make those designations." GT: He scoffs. "Kyle seems a capable sort. If there are any serious issues, I can always act as a go-between for messaging purposes." AT: "He is. Maybe the most capabllle of them, orrr nearrrlly." GT: "Then there you are. You'll simply be on-call for the time being. I'm sure he won't mind." Ryspor beams, pleased with himself. AT: "I've allllways been on-callllll." AT: "Mistaken forrrr a SERRRRVANT." GT: "A servant that killed Scarlet in single combat. I'd say it's about time for a promotion." AT: "But a prrrromotion woulllld thrrreaten the absolllute powerrrr that the otherrrr twinks holllld overrrr morrre orrr lless everrrything." AT: "And we can't have that." AT: "I'm just a trrrolllll, afterrrr alllll. Unimporrrrtant." AT: Lorrea's voice is vitriol. GT: "Lorrea..." He moves to put a hand on her shoulder, but it passes through and he pulls back, blushing. "Apologies. I-in any case, what I was going to say is...you ARE important, Lorrea. Unimaginably so. And not for any one single reason, either; from what I've seen and heard, you are an indispensable asset to your team on so many different levels." He smiles. "That, I think, is the real reason Lib GT: by brought you back, even more so than for the Grub. Because she knew that after all this group has been through, to make it into the new session and claim victory over this horrid game...they would need a leader. Someone to listen to; someone smart, and capable, and strong. Someone they can believe in." He grins. "Someone not even DEATH could keep down for long." AT: "I'm TIRRRRRED of being CAPABLLLLE. I'm tirrrred of handing out my STRRRRENGTH forrrr everrrryone elllse to LLLLEECH frrrom. They need to find theirrrr OWN strrrrength. The onlllly reason I'm HERRRRE is to helllp, but anything I do willll be WORRRRSE than pointlllless if they neverrrrr figurrrre out how to fend forrrr themsellllves." AT: "I'lllll be fine. I'm allllways fine. But if they're going to win, they're going to need to lllearrrrn to rellly on themsellllves, ratherrrr than me." GT: Ryspor winces as Lorrea rants. His shoulders slump, rather dejected. "...Apologies. I was just - attempting to make you feel somewhat better about all this without really thinking of - " He sighs. "Who knows what I was attempting to do, really. I've gotten far too rusty at this whole 'cheering-up' business." AT: "I'm not surrre that that's even POSSIBLLLE right now, so it's harrrdllly yourrr faulllt." GT: "I still feel as if I should do SOMETHING," he says helplessly. "I don't enjoy seeing anyone in bad spirits." AT: "Haha, bad spirrrits." Lorrea's voice is flat. GT: Ryspor's eyebrows flatten. "Oh, hush, that wasn't even intentional." AT: "If it was, it woullld have been absolllutellly ghastllly. Reallly a phantom of an efforrrrt." GT: Ryspor rolls his eyes, quirking a bit of a smile. "There's no need to be so harsh, surely; you're not giving me a ghost of a chance." GT: "I ex-spectred more from you, Lorrea." AT: "Peopllle woulllld killll for as much as you're getting, in this sorrrt of grrrave situation." GT: "I'm finding it hard to decrypt your meaning, though I don't want to come right out and casket." AT: "Alllso, death." GT: He snorts. "A valiant attempt to revitalize the conversation." AT: "I'm a LLife plllayerrr. That's sorrrrt of what we do, I think." GT: "If that's an indirect request for a bit of Space, then I'm happy to oblige." He shrugs. "Perhaps some fresh Heir, even?" AT: "I'm surrrre if I realllly wanted it, I coulllld stealllll away forrr a bit." GT: "Such an act would have no aspect of class to it, wouldn't you say?" He chuckles. "It would certainly bring a Tier to my eye." AT: "Ugh. Don't get rung up on it." GT: "I'm simply pondering what a boon your presence is for me," he says innocently. AT: "I'm glllad ONE of us is feelllling sprritellly enough to trrry and think of things that positive." GT: "I've always got some kernel of good cheer, worry not." AT: "That's ratherrrr kind of you, and betterrrr than modus." GT: "Well, I strife to do my best in all areas." AT: "Welllll, you evidentlllly take yourrr time to plllanet out." GT: "I simply don't wish to Land myself in an imp-ertinent situation. It's all too easy to get in ogre one's head, you know." AT: "It's a bit harrrrd not to get a bit impish, given recent historrrry." GT: "Oh? To lich event are you referring?" AT: Lorrea finally removes her face from her cape, staring at Ryspor. "Being crrrushed to death," she says, entirely flatly. GT: Well, how is Ryspor supposed to come up with a pun in response to THAT? He looks at her awkwardly for a few seconds. "...in term of deaths, it's..not the WORST possibility," he says after a moment with cautious optimism. AT: "It was a fucking incrrredibllle death, don't get me wrrrong." AT: "If onlllly someone had been ablllle to porrtallll my drrreamselllf out of the falllling towerrr." GT: Ryspor looks down at his feet. "I...I'm sorry. Libby had sent me to gather the planets for our departure. I didn't know what was happening - or what HAD happened, rather - until I arrived to help Eribus with the Scratch." AT: "I know. I'm not blllaming you. Therrre wasn't realllly much time to sparrrre, with everrrything." AT: "Besides, if I hadn't doubllledied, Vigillll prrrobabllly woulllld have stuck arrround." GT: "I suppose." Ryspor still looks guilty. "...I'd ask if it was quick, but...well, it's never quick enough, is it?" AT: "I had a buillllding lliterrralllly drrropped on me. It was a lllittllle abrrrupt." GT: "Still not pleasant, though, I would imagine." AT: "I was busy being overrrrwhellllmed by the GLLLORRRRRY of the moment. Barrrelllly felllt a thing." GT: Ryspor gives her a patiently skeptical Look. AT: "LListen, comparrred to getting shot in the chest and nearrrllly blllleeding out, orrr getting punched harrrd enough that yourrr fucking SIDE expllllodes, it was prrretty painllless." AT: Lorrea shrugs. AT: "I've had worrrrse." GT: "That's fair." Ryspor shrugs as well. "I don't speak so much of the circumstances leading up to your final moment as I do of the moment itself." He smiles faintly. "As someone with considerable experience of death, I've found that it...never really improves as an experience." AT: "I guess it's good that I got it alllll out of the way at once, then." AT: "Brrreakthrrroughs in efficient dying, realllly." GT: "Haha. You should give seminars." He quirks a grin. AT: "Yeah, yeah. Reallllly, I prrrobabllly shoulllld." AT: "I've got five yearrrs, though. Plllenty of time to just... not do that." AT: "And then, afterrr that, I guess I sorrrt of. Have forrreverrrr?" GT: "In essence, yes." He shrugs. "Immortalirt through death. Ironic, is it not?" GT: *immortality GT: "It's not so bad with company." AT: "Yeah. Assuming they don't trrry and dig up some way to brrring me back." Lorrea grimaces. "And considerrrring Aaisha, that seems... sorrrt of lllikelly." GT: "People have tried." Ryspor shrugs. "In my own session, we had a similar occurrence. A death, coupled with a refusal to let go." He sighed. "In the end, it could be argued that it did more harm than good, given the bargains made and their eventual fallout - and we never did truly regain the friend we had lost. We came close, to be sure, but...the player we had known was gone. Nothing could change GT: that." AT: "Unlllless you're Nyarrrllla apparrrentllly." AT: Lorrea narrows her eyes, slightly. AT: "Wherrrre it was alllll too easy." GT: "...unless you're Nyarla, yes." He tilts his head. "Though I do feel some pity for Aesona's fate, I must admit." AT: "I trrried to get him to back down, beforrrre things went the way that they did. He refused." AT: "Any pity that I had forrr him neverrrr llleft Alllterrrrnia." AT: "Especialllly afterrrr his llllack of judgement thrrrew Aaisha into the grrrip of terrrrorrrrs forrr thousands of sweeps." AT: "Sorrrrrt of viewed as a misstep in most romantic relllationships, to my underrrstanding." GT: "You should not blame yourself for his mistakes. It's as you said; in the end, he was the architect of his own destruction. He had every opportunity to turn back, but he refused to the bitter end." AT: "I'm onlllly sad that I neverrr got to clllaim my dibs on his LLife." AT: "Woe is me." GT: "Ha. If history offers any sort of a pattern, you may well get your chance before this game is done." GT: "...though let's hope not." AT: "... Yeah, I coulllld lllive without that. Inasmuch as I'm nonlliterrrallly lliving now." GT: "...I wouldn't get too hung up on tenses, if I were you. It's enough to drive a troll mad." AT: "I guess I shoullld be worrried about that." GT: "Unfortunately, language has structured itself to cater more towards those of us still on our first lives." He grins. "How inconsiderate, really." AT: "Abhorrrent." AT: Lorrea's voice is still flat. GT: Ryspor'll get a smile out of you one of these days, Lorrea. He's got 5 years to pick away at her. For now, though, he'll let it go. He sits forward again. "...so what DO you plan to do for the time being, if going planetside doesn't quite appeal?" He considers. "If you'd like a room of your own, I'm sure it wouldn't be any great imposition; as a matter of fact, I suppose I had best ask for one mys GT: elf, too, hadn't I." He rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Unless Eribus is willing to share..." AT: "... I guess? I coulllld prrrobabllly worrrk on my calllligrrraphy once I'm solllid again, orrr something." She shrugs. GT: "And once you decide to inform the others of your existence?" He pauses. "If you do intend to do that at some point, I mean to say." AT: "I don't know. Hellp get Kyllle and Erribus ready forrr the next stage, maybe." AT: "I feelll lllike they're going to have to fillll the gap that I llleft." GT: "But then you won't have a place, will you?" He stands. "It's a good thing you have nearly three sweeps to discover a new one. I have every confidence you'll find it." GT: "And I'm always happy to assist, of course." He smiles hopefully. AT: "I alllrrready know what my plllace is, now. It's just a matterrrr of.... adjusting." AT: "Getting used to the sidelllines." GT: "You've only got to be on the sidelines if you want to be, Lorrea." AT: "How arrre you defining sidelllines." GT: He shrugs. "I don't know. How are you defining them?" AT: "Being out herrre. Not being ablllle to helllp them fight theirrr battllles dirrectllly." AT: Lorrea shrugs, too. AT: "But I was alllways prrretty good at strrrategy, so... That shoullldn't be a prrrobllem." GT: "That's the spirit!" he says, pounding his palm with his fist approvingly. AT: "What, arrre you worrried about me just... giving up?" One of Lorrea's eyebrows quirks upwards. GT: "It's a risk! There's plenty about the situation that might make you lose hope, you've got to admit." AT: "I've said beforrre that I'llll stop existing beforrre I stop trrrying. They're my frriends, even if they're absolllute shits, and if I have my way, everrry one of them willl make it." AT: "Just... without me. But that's what herrroes arrre forrr." AT: Lorrea grins, slightly. GT: VICTORY. Ryspor grins back. Category:Lorrea Category:Ryspor